The last thing the Niners needed was to lose their primary decision maker just five weeks before an NFL draft in which they own a pair of mid-round picks (13th and 17th) in the first round. But the way we're hearing it from numerous league insiders, Scot McCloughan simply gave the team little choice but to end a relationship that has been on shaky ground behind the scenes for some time now.

"They needed to the save the organization from themselves," one rival top-level NFL executive familiar with the operation told PFW regarding the imminent removal of McCloughan, who was promoted to the Niners' GM post in 2008 after serving the previous three years as the team's VP of player personnel.Link to the rest of the article

It's just the Yorks being stupid and self destructing the team like they always do. Only the Yorks could come up with a plan to get rid of the GM 5 weeks before the draft with no replacement on hand. They could have done it at the very beginning of the offseason and may have been able to land the likes of Holmgren or Shannahan in the role if they were willing to pay for it. But they aren't willing to pay for it and everything the Yorks do is reactionary and spur of the moment with no forward planning. It's how the roll. Destroy the team and figure out the consequences later. It's how they have rolled for a decade.

Still speculation, but it sounds like the FO was sticking by Scott. Ignoring the problems that were building, thinking he would get it together. With it looking more and more like it wouldn't right itself anytime soon, the team had to finally step in and Force Scott to step aside for a while. The Scott's lawyer seems to want to muddy the process with a settlement instead of Scott getting his act together and comming back. Am I right or am I totally missing it?

Quote:For one thing, whether it was due to family problems or something else, McCloughan would fall out of the loop for prolonged stretches. That shortcoming contributed to more than a few job-related blunders, the way we hear it.

Quote:For one thing, whether it was due to family problems or something else, McCloughan would fall out of the loop for prolonged stretches. That shortcoming contributed to more than a few job-related blunders, the way we hear it.

He can only "fall out of the loop" if the ownership allows him to or wants him to. He was the GM with final say. There is no way for him to fall out of the loop unless that was by design.

Originally posted by bigtony2tone:One last time: McCloughan isn't/wasn't the only voice in the personnel department. Not much (if anything) will change going into the draft. Calm the hell down.

He was the GM and had final say in draft picks. So he was the voice in the personnel department.

He was the trigger man (supposedly), not the sole voice. The opinions on players become a collaborative effort through the course of the scouting process. There are many varying opinions on a given player, which is something any decent personnel department thrives on. Ultimately, the player has to fit the scheme. Mistakes are always made, no matter who has the final say.

Originally posted by bigtony2tone:One last time: McCloughan isn't/wasn't the only voice in the personnel department. Not much (if anything) will change going into the draft. Calm the hell down.

He was the GM and had final say in draft picks. So he was the voice in the personnel department.

He was the trigger man (supposedly), not the sole voice. The opinions on players become a collaborative effort through the course of the scouting process. There are many varying opinions on a given player, which is something any decent personnel department thrives on. Ultimately, the player has to fit the scheme. Mistakes are always made, no matter who has the final say.

He was the undisputed final say / final voice on player personnel matters including the draft. That is a fact.

Originally posted by bigtony2tone:One last time: McCloughan isn't/wasn't the only voice in the personnel department. Not much (if anything) will change going into the draft. Calm the hell down.

He was the GM and had final say in draft picks. So he was the voice in the personnel department.

He was the trigger man (supposedly), not the sole voice. The opinions on players become a collaborative effort through the course of the scouting process. There are many varying opinions on a given player, which is something any decent personnel department thrives on. Ultimately, the player has to fit the scheme. Mistakes are always made, no matter who has the final say.

He was the undisputed final say / final voice on player personnel matters including the draft. That is a fact.

To an extent. You can't tell me he didn't call upon his scouts and coaching staff for opinions though. No GM worth his salt would not listen to other viewpoints.

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:It's just the Yorks being stupid and self destructing the team like they always do. Only the Yorks could come up with a plan to get rid of the GM 5 weeks before the draft with no replacement on hand. They could have done it at the very beginning of the offseason and may have been able to land the likes of Holmgren or Shannahan in the role if they were willing to pay for it. But they aren't willing to pay for it and everything the Yorks do is reactionary and spur of the moment with no forward planning. It's how the roll. Destroy the team and figure out the consequences later. It's how they have rolled for a decade.

You don't get it. They are not looking to bring someone from outside the organization in to replace Scott. THAT'S why it doesn't matter that he was canned 5 weeks before the draft. The Niners are going to make Baalk, Gamble, or Marathe GM and the team will continue forward with little change in the short term.

This in my opinion is not at all reactionary or spur of the moment, but a culmination of discretions that led to the change. I don't think for a moment that the management had any interest at all in GM candidates outside the team earlier this off-season. I think if anything, the team waited too long.

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